The first time I met my biological parents, I had just crawled out of the mine shaft, covered in coal dust. Disgust flickered in their eyes—my father didn’t bother hiding it. "Get her another car," he snapped. "I won’t have her dirtying ours." My mother forced a smile. "Poor child. Once you’re clean, Mommy will make it up to you." Then they fled to their car. Only their adopted son, Aiden Ashford, stayed behind. "Ride with me," he said. I showered at the mine first, washing off the grime before slipping into his Maybach. At the Ashford estate, my parents were absent. Instead, Naomi—the "fake" heiress—greeted me with a saccharine smile. "Sister!" she chirped, grabbing my hand—then shoved a fruit knife into it, forcing my grip toward her own chest. 1 My first introduction to the Ashford family, and Naomi was trying to make me shank her with a piece of cutlery. Was this some kind of bizarre welcoming ritual? I'm lazy by nature, but I’m also strong. She didn’t stand a chance. She tugged, strained, but my arm didn’t budge. She blinked, her wide, innocent eyes betraying a flash of confusion before she tried to pull again. I just pointed a finger at the small camera pinned to my shirt. "Life-logging," I said, conserving my words. The color drained from Naomi's face. She dropped my hand as if it were on fire. Just then, Aiden walked in from parking the car. He saw the knife in my hand, Naomi’s terrified expression, and a complicated look crossed his face. I couldn't be bothered to explain, so I just placed the knife back in Naomi's hand. "Aiden, you're back!" she chirped, her tone instantly shifting to one of cloying affection. "I had Mrs. Gable make you some of her chicken soup. I'll go get it for you right now." "Not hungry," Aiden replied, shaking his head. His gaze shifted to me. "Claire? Are you hungry?" "Too much effort," I said. I slumped onto the nearest sofa, letting my body go limp. I pulled a bag of chips from my backpack and began to shovel them into my mouth with a listless, apathetic air. This was me in my natural state: if I can lie down, I won't sit; if I can sit, I won't stand. "Tired?" Aiden asked, a note of genuine concern in his voice. "I'm fine." I kept eating, pulling out my tablet with my other hand. My left hand danced across the screen, tapping out lines of code, while my right hand scrolled through videos on my phone, my snack-shoveling an intermittent, automatic motion. Aiden and Naomi stared at me as if I were some kind of alien creature. Naomi eventually drifted closer, her voice dripping with faux sympathy. "Sister, you've had it so rough all these years, you probably never learned the proper etiquette for a family like ours. If people saw you acting like this, it would be terribly embarrassing for the Ashfords. But don't you worry, I can teach you all about social graces." "Too much effort." I yawned and offered a piece of well-intentioned advice. "The mine's a busy place. Are you sure you don't want to go back and help out?" In my mind, a person should see their biological parents. It was the only reason I’d even agreed to come back to this place. I figured she’d feel the same. But Naomi’s smile twitched, and her eyes instantly welled with tears. "Sister, if you don't want me in this house, I can just leave..." "Suit yourself." I could see it then. For all her talk about not pulling any drama, she was itching for a fight. But what was there to fight over? Money? I couldn't care less about money. I really wanted to tell her that, but I knew she wouldn't believe me. No normal person would. So, I saved myself the breath. Aiden came and sat down beside me. "Mom and Dad said they have to go abroad for a few days," he explained softly. "They'll make it up to you properly when they get back. They hope you won't overthink things." "Okay," I nodded, my spirit feeling like it could drift out of my skull at any moment. Aiden looked a bit helpless. He turned to Naomi. "Is her room ready?" "It's still being prepared. I want it to be perfect for my sister, so there's a lot to do," Naomi said, a hint of distress in her voice. "Aiden... maybe she could just stay in a guest room for tonight?" 2 Aiden’s brow furrowed, as if he could see right through Naomi’s little scheme. "Claire just got here. Why would she stay in a guest room? She's family, not a guest." "I get it, Aiden. In this family, I'm the only one who's an outsider…" Naomi’s voice broke, and she started to cry. I saw Aiden roll his eyes. I wanted to do the same, but it felt like too much work. "I'll sleep anywhere," I said, breaking the tension. "As long as it has a window for ventilation." Aiden let out a breath of relief, seemingly glad that the 'real heiress' wasn't going to be difficult. "Then pick any room you like, except for Mom and Dad's. I'll personally see to your permanent room tomorrow." Naomi looked crestfallen. "But Aiden, I can arrange the room for my sister…" Aiden completely ignored her, speaking only to me. "I have a meeting at the office this afternoon. If you need anything, we can talk when I get back tonight." "Okay," I mumbled, melting back into the sofa cushions. He shook his head, a hint of amusement and resignation in his eyes at my profound laziness. Then he was gone, clearly a man with important responsibilities. The moment he left, Naomi's demeanor changed. "Sister," she said, her smile returning, "let me show you to a wonderful room. I'm sure you'll love it." "Fine." I reluctantly pushed myself to my feet. Honestly, if they'd let me just strip down and pass out on the living room floor, I would have stayed right there. Moving was such a chore. I knew this girl was up to something, but I was too tired to care. Sure enough, she led me to a room on the second floor. It was immaculate. A faint, sterile scent of lavender hung in the air, and every object was arranged with obsessive precision. It was clearly the room of someone with a serious case of OCD. And from my limited observations, the prime candidate for that in this house was Aiden. My suspicion was confirmed when I saw a framed photo of him on the desk. I shot a weary glance at Naomi. Seriously? Did this girl really think I was that stupid? But she feigned ignorance, smiling brightly. "If you like it here, Sister, you can get some rest." "Fine." I nodded. I knew she was setting a trap, but the thought of searching for another room was physically painful. All I wanted was a shower and to lie down until I fused with the mattress. Naomi couldn't hide a triumphant little smirk as she scurried out, as if afraid I'd change my mind. I took my shower and collapsed onto the bed. Sometime after dark, I was jolted awake by the sound of a soft cough. Aiden was standing by the bed, dressed in a sharp, tailored black suit. His face was a cold mask, an unspoken demand for an explanation hanging in the air. Naomi was right beside him, her voice a soft, poisonous whisper. "Aiden, I tried to stop her. I told her you were a neat freak and couldn't stand anyone in your space, but Sister just wouldn't listen. She insisted on this room." 3 "Is it comfortable?" After a long, tense moment, that's what Aiden asked. Not the explosion of anger I'd expected, especially with Naomi fanning the flames so expertly. I rubbed my eyes and gave him a serious nod. "Very. The aromatherapy is great for sleep." A hint of surprise flickered in his eyes, as if he hadn't expected me to know about aromatherapy. "Then you can stay here." Naomi looked stunned. "Aiden! In the past, you'd get angry if I even stepped into your room. Why does she get to sleep here?" "Are you hungry?" Aiden ignored her completely, a small smile playing on his lips as he looked at me. I nodded, adding, "Don't want to get out of bed." "Alright. I'll bring it up for you." He nodded and turned to leave. Naomi’s eyes widened, her voice a furious whisper. "Why? Why is he so good to you when you've just arrived? He’s a complete germaphobe, but he's letting you sleep in his bed? He's even going to let you eat in his bed? Why?" I didn't bother answering, just pulled out my phone and started scrolling through videos. Naomi stood there, looking like a fool, but she didn't leave. It seemed she was morbidly curious to see how I would manage to eat in Aiden's pristine bed. A few minutes later, Aiden returned pushing a serving cart. It had a small, extendable tray table that could be positioned over the bed. All I had to do was sit up. I did so, listlessly, rinsed my mouth with some water, and then dug into the food without a word. Aiden went to his desk and started working on his laptop, not paying me any mind at all. Naomi sidled over to the cart and picked up a glass of juice. I knew what she was planning. She was going to "accidentally" spill it on the bed and then tattle to the compulsively clean Aiden about my clumsiness. I had no idea how he'd react, but I was sure it would involve me having to move rooms. I'm lazy. I didn't want to move. So, I picked up my phone and aimed the camera at her. The motion of her hand, just about to tip the glass, froze. A strained, sickly smile spread across her face as she held the juice out to me. "Sister, have some juice." "Don't want any." I glanced over at Aiden and found him already looking our way. Our eyes met for a moment. He had beautiful eyes, deep and perceptive, as if they could see right through everything. "Naomi," Aiden's voice cut through the silence. "Don't you have your college entrance exams coming up? Shouldn't you be studying?" Naomi’s smile faltered. She knew she was being dismissed. She had no choice but to leave. After I finished eating, a housekeeper came in to clear everything away. I went back to my routine: left hand coding, right hand scrolling. I have no idea how much time passed, but eventually, I was sleepy again. I was about to go take another shower before bed when Aiden finished his work. He walked over and placed a small bottle on the nightstand. "Nootropic supplements," he said. "For brain function." "Thanks, Aiden," I said, looking at him with suspicion. How did he know I needed something like that? But he had already left the room. I was too lazy to ask. I took a shower, swallowed the pills, and was asleep in minutes. The next few days passed in a similar blur. I barely left the room. Naomi kept trying to stir up trouble, but she never got the chance. Aiden was there every day, working quietly at his desk, but we hardly spoke. Until one morning, as I was still dead to the world, the blankets were suddenly ripped off me. I shot awake to see my biological parents standing over me. It was my father who had torn away my covers. "What do you think you're doing, sleeping in here?" he roared. 4 "Sister, even though Aiden is adopted, you have to think about appearances!" Naomi immediately fanned the flames. "If people find out that the true Ashford heiress came back and immediately started sleeping in her brother's room, what would they say? It's a disgrace! We can't let you tarnish the Ashford family name like this!" My mother collapsed into a dramatic fit of tears. "Oh, what a tragedy! How could my own daughter be so shameless? I don't want to live!" My father turned his fury on me. "You're a student! Why is your mind filled with such improper thoughts? Get out of that bed right now!" I calmly pulled the blanket back over myself and tapped a few commands into my phone. The room's lights dimmed and a projector whirred to life, casting an image onto the wall. It was a feed from the room's security camera, showing everything from the moment Naomi first brought me in until this very second. I'm too lazy to argue, but I'm not about to be wrongly accused. My parents shot a look at Naomi, their expressions souring. But my father quickly recovered. "Your sister brought you to this room to give you a nice environment, but you should know to keep your distance!" My mother sighed. "She was raised in the countryside, after all. No sense of propriety, no consideration for others." It was crystal clear. They didn't care about right or wrong; they just plain didn't like me. But if they disliked me so much, why did they go to all the trouble of finding me and bringing me back? I sighed, too tired to press the issue. Thankfully, Aiden arrived and diffused the situation. As my parents were leaving the room, I heard my father mutter something vile. "You need to be more discreet. You're a bargaining chip for this family's future. A tarnished reputation makes you worthless." I caught a glimpse of Aiden's face as he heard it. It was a blank, dead mask. Later, I was summoned downstairs for dinner. My parents sat with Naomi between them, looking for all the world like a perfect family of three. Naomi was a master at pleasing them, showering them with compliments and laughter. They would look at her with pride, then glance at me with disappointment, the comparison hanging unspoken in the air. Suddenly, Naomi turned to me. "Sister, did you go to school in the countryside?" "Graduated," I said dismissively. My father frowned. "You're the same age as Naomi, and she's only a high school senior. What did you graduate from? What did you even study?" "Computer science and welding." Smack! My father slammed his hand on the table. "An Ashford does not learn something as low-class as welding!" My mother quickly chimed in. "Naomi is a senior at Northwood Preparatory Academy, she has a real shot at the Ivy League. You should go there for a semester. Even if you can't get into a good university, your father and I can always endow a new library to get you a degree from a decent school." "But I've already graduated." I wanted to tell them I was a graduate of MIT's early entrance program, that I had a job—a job so secret I couldn't even talk about it—and that I was just here on a family visit. But it was classified, and honestly, I was just too lazy to explain. My father slammed the table again. "How dare you talk back! I've decided. You're enrolling at Northwood tomorrow!" Great. They were sending me back to the forge. If I remembered correctly, I had visited Northwood a few years back as a consultant. I couldn't wait to see the principal's face when he found out I was his newest student. Just then, we had visitors. A family of three arrived, the middle-aged couple exuding an air of wealth. With them was a woman around Aiden's age, beautiful in a sharp-boned way, but her eyes were sunken and her skin had a pale, unhealthy cast. She looked like she'd been hollowed out by a life of excess. I noticed Aiden's expression harden the moment he saw her. His intended? The introductions were made. The older couple seemed quite taken with Naomi. The younger woman, however, couldn't take her eyes off Aiden, occasionally licking her lips in a way that made my skin crawl. My father, noticing I hadn't stood up, scowled. "This is Claire. She'll be taking the Ashford name soon. She's my daughter who was… misplaced. We just found her. She doesn't have many manners." He then ordered me to greet them. I offered a perfunctory "Mr. Beaumont, Mrs. Beaumont." Naomi added sweetly, "Sister, this is our future sister-in-law." I looked at the predatory woman, then at Aiden's pale, trapped face. He glanced at me, and for a fleeting second, I saw a desperate plea for help in his eyes. That was all it took. I walked over to Aiden, leaned in, cupped his face in my hands, and kissed him. Right there, right then. The world froze. Everyone stared, mouths agape, as if they'd been turned to stone. I pulled back, stood up straight, and rested my hand on Aiden's shoulder. "Allow me to introduce you," I announced to the silent room. "Aiden. My boyfriend."
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